Cartons and sheet material products for use in the fast food industry are well-known and may be readily used to package other items. One such style used, but not limited to, is commonly known as a clam shell cartons, which typically include a tray or lower portion and a lid or top portion which is hingedly connected to the lower portion. The cartons are typically formed from a simple paperboard blank which is suitably pre-cut and pre-scored and which when suitably folded and assembled define a container.
In many fast food outlets there is a need for a single container which may be used for a variety of food products. For example, one such container is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,896 of Brauner et al., which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. As disclosed therein, a clam shell carton permits the packager of the food product to indicate on the carton the type of food product contained therein. As disclosed, one panel of the carton carries a plurality of shutter panels, the shutter panels overlapping and normally covering indicia on an indicia panel. Then, with the packaging of a particular food product in the carton, any one of the plurality of shutter panels is swung out in order to expose an appropriate indicia panel.
A more recent approach to a closable carton having indicia indicating tabs is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,803 of Gulliver. As disclosed therein, a cover structure includes a top wall having a plurality of sidewalls extending therefrom along a straight carton fold line therebetween within a plane defining an interior included angle with a top wall of less than 180° degrees. The cover structure includes a plurality of over center toggle action tabs having indicia associated with each tab. Each over center toggle action tab is defined by cuts and edge lines formed in the top and sidewalls to contain a predetermined length of the common fold line therebetween. The cuts enable the peripheral edge portion of the tab to move toward and away from the adjacent cut top and sidewalls while the peripheral edge portions of the tab defined by the edge lines hinge with respect to the adjacent top and sidewalls. Each over centered toggle action tab is self-retained in a normal position wherein the two tab sections are coplanar with the top and adjacent sidewalls and are movable by inward digital pressure into a self-retained deflected position wherein the interior included angle between the two tab sections is greater than 180° degrees.
It is now believed that there is a significant commercial demand for an improved carton structure and sheet material product having an improved toggle action tab for indicating the contents of an enclosed item. It is believed that there is a demand for a carton and sheet material product that has an annular and preferably circular shaped digital ergonomic toggle action tab in accordance with the present invention. Such tabs fold on a radius score line in the top and one sidewall of a carton. It is also believed that there is a commercial demand for a container or sheet material product wherein the toggle action tabs include an offset fold line which causes the tab to protrude slightly from the top cover or adjacent sidewall of the carton or product in a self-retained position before being deflected inwardly as an indication of the content contained therein.
In addition, the carton and sheet material product in accordance with the present invention can be used for a variety of products and manufactured and sold at a competitive price.